The Decline of Prince Albert and Carter Hall

[WVOldFart]

When John Middleton Co. decided to move operations to the Dominican Republic they did a massive injustice to their tobacco blends; Prince Albert and Carter Hall. For many years I have enjoyed my Dark Roast coffee with a pipe of Prince Albert. They just went together so well with the smokey goodness of the tobacco with the richness of the coffee. Since the move to the Dominican Republic both blends have changed in flavor. Neither bring much to the table anymore. I find that lately my morning coffee is with Match VIP or Match Edgeworth Ready Rubbed and sometimes Sir Walter Raleigh. This morning I put both blends, PA and CH on the back shelf, only to be visited occasionally instead of daily. I know I am a tired, old fart, but my taste buds aren't gone yet and there are other blends that are just better than my two old friends. I have tried Sutliff Match Prince Albert and Chatham Manor, but neither match what I'm used to. I won't bemoan this matter too long since there are thousands of other blends to choose from. I smoke many different blends during the day, but Prince Albert was my morning regular. I know that change is something you can depend on, but this change was not for the best.

 

[didimauw]

Unfortunately, I agree with you. I only have 2 tubs of the American version left. I ended up buying about 6 tubs that were all from Dom Rep.

I still smoke my Carter Hall, but it's definetly not the same. Seems more....Chemically to me.

 

[grimpeur]

There may be thousands of other blends...but it still annoys when it's my favourite that's gone. St. Bruno is back, but only name. I understand how you feel.

It still boggles the mind that PA, of all blends, had a similar treatment. Respect to the Danes for keeping the quality of SWR and Granger.

 

[didimauw]

It's even obvious before you smoke it now....



Dom rep on left. USA on right....

 

[Green Hill piper]

I disagree, prince Albert tastes much better to me now. Tried it a few times years ago but couldn't get behind it, now PA is a always in rotation now.

 

[Lumbridge]

I noticed some slight changes in the Dominican Carter Hall, but it's not different enough for me to drop the brand altogether. The cut is a bit less even, there are more stems/veins, and the toppings are a bit heavier and sweeter. It's still a good blend, though I wish they'd move production back to the US (that will never happen). I wasn't happy with the change, and grumbled like an old codger about it for weeks, but will keep smoking both. It would have been nice if Middleton passed the cost savings of outsourcing production along to the consumer (ahem!), since this was undoubtedly the primary reason for the switch.

I've not tried the new Prince Albert yet, as I'm still working through my US tub from years ago. I smoke a lot more CH than PA.

 

[Lumbridge]

It's even obvious before you smoke it now....

View attachment 298130

Dom rep on left. USA on right....

Huh, I thought that the label changed at the same time that production moved and the pouches were discontinued. On my most recent tub of CH, I noticed that the label changed again, and they removed the nicotine warning (RED ALERT!).

 

[Lumbridge]

Respect to the Danes for keeping the quality of SWR and Granger.

Though unfortunately STG switched these blends to 7oz cans to hide the increased the price per volume, and the smaller cans aren't conducive to the "codger scoop" technique.

 

[sablebrush52]

I have tried Sutliff Match Prince Albert and Chatham Manor, but neither match what I'm used to. I won't bemoan this matter too long since there are thousands of other blends to choose from.

Unfortunately, I agree with you. I only have 2 tubs of the American version left. I ended up buying about 6 tubs that were all from Dom Rep.

I still smoke my Carter Hall, but it's definetly not the same. Seems more....Chemically to me.

I had to smile as I read these. I'd smoked Carter Hall quite a bit in a past life, but moved on. When I got a hankering for C H I picked up some, and decided to check out Chatham Manor as well. For me biggest difference between the two, more than slight variables in the blends, was that Carter Hall tasted like a chemical factory, with a very pronounced chemically aftertaste, and Chatham Manor did not.
If in comparison the Central American product now tastes like chemicals to someone who happily smoked the US version, one that I found objectionably chemically, I can only imagine the unnatural horror of what lies in that tub. Does it move across a table on its own, moan at night, or glow in the dark?

 

[Scottmi]

Have you tried Peretti 101? I found it to be like current PA, but...better.

Peretti 101 :: Pipe Tobacco Reviews

If you like Prince Albert, you will probably LOVE Peretti 101. Same primary components (Burley, Cavendish) so no wonder is similar, but the 101 is... more. As I was smoking it in a cob, my overwhelming take was "This like PA, but, like, three times better!" Just a touch more sweet and richer...

pipesmagazine.com

 

[WVOldFart]

Have you tried Peretti 101? I found it to be like current PA, but...better.

Peretti 101 :: Pipe Tobacco Reviews

If you like Prince Albert, you will probably LOVE Peretti 101. Same primary components (Burley, Cavendish) so no wonder is similar, but the 101 is... more. As I was smoking it in a cob, my overwhelming take was "This like PA, but, like, three times better!" Just a touch more sweet and richer...

pipesmagazine.com

I'll have to try it. Thanks.

 

[Streeper541]

I agree with you... I also noticed the change. Unfortunately, maybe fortunately, I don't know... nobody carries Carter Hall locally around here anymore. But I don't smoke it enough to order it by the can, so it's dropped out of my rotation.

 

[didimauw]

Huh, I thought that the label changed at the same time that production moved and the pouches were discontinued. On my most recent tub of CH, I noticed that the label changed again, and they removed the nicotine warning (RED ALERT!).

I'm still sad about the pouches....

 

[didimauw]

I had to smile as I read these. I'd smoked Carter Hall quite a bit in a past life, but moved on. When I got a hankering for C H I picked up some, and decided to check out Chatham Manor as well. For me biggest difference between the two, more than slight variables in the blends, was that Carter Hall tasted like a chemical factory, with a very pronounced chemically aftertaste, and Chatham Manor did not.
If in comparison the Central American product now tastes like chemicals to someone who happily smoked the US version, one that I found objectionably chemically, I can only imagine the unnatural horror of what lies in that tub. Does it move across a table on its own, moan at night, or glow in the dark?

See now that's interesting. I bought a tub of Chatham Manor hoping I'd find my new favorite!

Hated it. Every single bit of it was terrible to me. So maybe I prefer a small amount of chemicals, but not too much? Hahaha

 

[wolflarsen]

A lot of crazy history went down at Chatham Manor in Fredericksberg, Virginia. First as the site of a famous slave rebellion where slaves overtook, chained, and whipped their slavemaster. Then as a Union Army hospital during the Civil War where surgeons operated on thousands of wounded soldiers following a disastrous defeat at the Battle of Fredericksberg. Poet Walt Whitman once described seeing a large heap of amputated legs, arms, hands, feet, etc. under a tree in front of the house when he went there looking for his wounded brother. I wonder what exactly it was that inspired the name of the blend?

 

[Chasing Embers]

So basically the same thing that's happened to GH, Germains, K&K, and a few others.

 

[VDL_Piper]

So basically the same thing that's happened to GH, Germains, K&K, and a few others.

Way of the world CE as you know, I have my sensors wide open on Mac Baren now too since Per Jensen was shown the door.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Way of the world CE as you know, I have my sensors wide open on Mac Baren now too since Per Jensen was shown the door.

Once they discontinued HH Mature Virginia and replaced Syrian with Cyprian Latakia in The Solent Mixture, Mac Baren has been all kinds of sideways. Even Doblone d'Oro is completely different than it was just a few years ago.

 

[kcghost]

Companies can do as they must, and consumers will vote with their wallets. Simple as that.

 

[jpberg]

Ah jeez. No tobacco tastes like it used to, according to you experts.
Anybody still smoking?
Oh wait, I know what comes next, you’ve all got 700 pounds of whatever it is you thought was good. Right.